I am new to Worcester as well, same age range as you, although I've been visiting friends here for a year now.

There are a few things to keep in mind:

- Do you have any issue living in a duplex/triplex? They are very common here in Worcester, and you'll find them in every neighborhood.

- As far as safety, other commenters here have already touched on the places of town to avoid. Overall though, do not be dismayed by the people who say Worcester is a dangerous city. Most of the city is absolutely fine.

- I find the area around Green Hill Park to be my favorite, and it is where I settled on. It is also near Shrewsbury Street, which is the most "fun" outside of downtown, with bars, restaurants, interesting shops, etc.

- Downtown Worcester has some great spots but is a bit dead since Covid. I'm not saying it's boring or not worth visiting of course; I'm just saying you aren't going to gain much from living right in the heart of downtown vs. living in a triplex or apartment 5 - 10 minutes away.

- Shrewsbury is a very nice suburb and a great place to live, but I personally don't think the extra rent is worth it if you're okay embracing city life a bit more.

- Speaking city life; are you a city person? I was a bit nervous because I was a spoiled suburban kid who didn't know what city life is like, but I've had almost no issue adjusting. Worcester isn't some super dense place with people living on top of you, it's actually very reasonable to drive around. So don't worry too much about getting around, it's not hard at all.

Hope that helps :)